Tag: Afton Mountain Vineyards
Solstice Paired With Virginia Wines
Paul and I made our annual summer trek to the Charlottesville area, and this year it coincided with summer solstice, the official start of the summer season. These longer days allowed us to enjoy late dinners and wine on the porch at our favorite Stay cottage located on the Afton Mountain Vineyards property. In this post, I offer a review of favored wine varieties, blends, and sparkling wines that we sampled from various wineries in the Charlottesville area. Notice a special focus on summer wines since stocking up on these was our mission; however, any wine can be enjoyed in all seasons, and we do note some wines that some may find to be more appropriate for cooler weather.
White Wines/Rose/ White Blends/Sparkling:
Albarino: Pay attention to this grape in Virginia because it shows promise. Afton Mountain’s 2021 release features classic citrus notes and a leaner palate. A different twist will be offered by Jake Bushing’s 2021 Albarino that saw some time in oak barrels and thus presents a fuller-bodied palate.
Chardonnay: Always my favorite. Full-bodied treatments of this grape can be enjoyed at Septenary (2019), King Family Vineyards (2020) and Hazy Mountain (2019). Sippers who prefer a medium to lighter-bodied style may want to consider the releases from Pollak (2019) and Keswick (LVA 2021).
Sauvignon Blanc: This is another grape that has potential in Virginia. The 2021 offering from Septenary captures classic notes of boxwood and citrus with a refreshing acidity. Similar characteristics were noted in the current 2021 release from Jake Busching Wines. Sauvignon Blanc is also the key component in two white blends from Blenheim Vineyards. 2020 On The Line also includes Rkatsiteli, Chardonnay, and Petit Manseng while the 2018 Painted White incorporates Chardonnay and Petit Manseng. I will add that these two blends convinced me that Petit Manseng with its tropical fruit notes, acidity and texture brings much more to the table (or the bottle) as a blender than a stand alone.
Rose: Dry rose for us, please. Thankfully, Virginia wineries can deliver here too. We can recommend current releases now offered at Blenheim Vineyards (2020) King Family Vineyards (2021), Hark Vineyards (2021) and Septenary (2020). While rose conjures images of beaches or picnics, be sure to have Rose on hand for all seasons—-rose is versatile and can pair with almost anything.
Sparkling Wine: Any occasion or no occasion at all calls for sparkling wine. Try the 2018 Brut from King Family Vineyards produced from 100% Chardonnay, the Sparkling Amelie Blanc de Noir from Keswick Vineyards and/or the Sparkling Rose from Septenary.
Vidal Blanc: Once a driver at most Virginia wineries, Vidal Blanc seems be less common these days. Fortunately, the 2020 Virginia Verde from Hark Vineyards keeps Vidal Blanc alive, and it screams summer.
Red Wines: Cabernet Franc: This is probably the one red wine that is another all season gift. Enjoy it with light grilled fare in summer or with Thanksgiving turkey in the fall. I tend to prefer lighter style Cabernet Franc that presents juicy red berries with little interference from extensive use of oak or blends with other varieties. Blenheim’s 2020 release fits that bill. Pollak Vineyards’ 2019 bottling sees a bit more time on oak with a noted presence of black pepper; however, it too can be served on its own or with food. Septenary’s Cloverplains 2017 is a blend that leads with Cabernet France but includes Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. Bright seed berries, sweet tobacco and subtle black pepper nuances offers a complex wine that can be enjoyed now or later.
Petit Verdot: This is another winning grape for Virginia. However, there are those who prefer this one on its own, while others would rather enjoy it as part of a blend. (Review my Petit Manseng comment). The 2018 vintage from Pollak Vineyards was surprisingly juicy and rich given the rather wet 2018 growing season. Hark Vineyards’ 2017 release is dark and brooding—-decant now or hold for a bit longer. Don’t ignore the 2019 vintage from DuCard Vineyards, especially if you are tracking down the gold medal winners from 2022 Virginia Governor’s Cup. Looking for a Petit Verdot-dominant blend? Give 2018 Blended Red from Blenheim Vineyards a try. It includes an equal part of Merlot followed by Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Others: We always grab a bottle (or two, three) of Bacco from Afton Mountain Vineyards. This one always includes Sangiovese, and the 2017 is delicious. If your library includes the 2016 Meritage from Pollak Vineyards, it is still showing quite well. Drink or hold. I bought a bottle to join its sibling on our wine rack. One will be enjoyed soon and the other will be poured in another year or so. Our 2013 Merlot from King Family Vineyards has definitely gathered dust, so it was a treat to try a sample of this one at the winery. I would put this one in the drink now category but made sure to purchase another one. Can it hold on for another year or two? We’ll find out.
Our front porch dinners paired with a perfect Virginia wine were lit with late sunsets followed by starry skies and dancing fireflies. Another treat was the cooler than usual night temperatures that allowed us to open the windows to enjoy cool nighttime breezes. If Mother Nature was treating us to a solstice concert, then she put on a stellar performance.
Plan to visit the wineries mentioned in this post to sample these well-crafted wines for yourself this summer. Let us know if you find others that you enjoyed but not described here. Of course, please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!
Thanksgiving Wine Recommendations
We have gathered together some wine recommendations for your Thanksgiving meal. Watch the video to see the recommendations.
Stay
And we did just that during a recent summer getaway to the Charlottesville area. We rented a cottage on a vineyard site managed by Stay Charlottesville, and the cottage named Coop Billon was located on the property associated with Afton Mountain Vineyards. Of course, we visited several wineries during our stay!
For readers looking for a local weekend getaway or longer vacation in the historic Charlottesville area, consider booking accommodations through Stay Charlottesville. We booked a cottage located on a vineyard because we are wine geeks; however, other Stay sites include Charlottesville estates, rustic Virginia countryside, and University of Virginia. The Coop Billon is one of four cottages that offer guests views of Afton Mountain’s vineyards, a tasting in the tasting room, a gorgeous views of Virginia mountainsides. The cottage itself can be described as country quaint with a complete kitchen, spacious bathroom, and a back porch that included rocking chairs. Paul and I enjoyed simple meals each night paired with a favorite Virginia wine while dining al fresco on the porch. Each meal was partnered with lovely skies, and on one evening, music from the winery.
A stay at the cottages includes a free tasting at the winery; of course, we took advantage of the opportunity to sample the latest releases from Afton Mountain Vineyards. Owner Elizabeth Smith greeted us warmly, and it was she who conducted our tasting. I already had dinner on my mind even though it was 11 AM—-it’s never too early to think about dinner; anyway, I knew that we were going to enjoy crab cakes that evening. The first pour on the tasting list was also my choice to pair with dinner, and it was the 2018 Albarino. It presented floral notes with peach aromas and a crisp, refreshing feel in the mouth. Be on the look out for lots of rose from the 2018 vintage due to the heavy rainfall during that growing season, and the 2018 Rose from Afton Mountain Vineyards offered bright red berry notes and fruity palate that demanded to be enjoyed on a hot summer day.
Speaking of the 2018 vintage, readers may know that some winemakers have opted not to produce red wines from that growing season; however, remember that microclimates matter. While some vineyard sites got soaked, others were more fortunate to receive a break from the constant rainfall and were able to produce red wines. The 2018 Cabernet Franc from Afton Mountain Vineyards was quite enjoyable. It was lighter bodied with lots of red raspberry and cherry notes; it also presented a fruity palate that makes it an easy pairing with lighter fare now or in the fall. If in doubt about which winemaker is doing what with the 2018 vintage, ask the particular winemaker at a specific winery——don’t assume everyone has decided not to produce red wines.
Of course, summer will not last forever and fall/winter fare will grace the dinner tables. Consider Afton Mountain’s Bacco 2016 which is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot and Tannat. This one featured a profile of ripe dark berries and currants with a chewy/tannic presence that plays well with heavier beef dishes and game meats. Look out for a white port-style wine crafted from the floral muscat grape; we were treated to a sneak preview; however, we are not sure when it will be released.
And so our day ended just as we had planned—-crab cakes with the 2018 Albarino from Afton Mountains. We dined outdoors and were entertained by the band playing at the winery; a cool breeze greeted a colorful sky made brighter by fire flies flitting above the meadow. Consider a Stay at the vineyard cottages while visiting the Charlottesville area, and enjoy the lovely wines at Afton Mountain Vineyards. Please mention that Virginia Wine Time sent you!